Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Over used shooting cliche's

Agreed! Tactical is terribly overused.

Jeff Cooper once explained the difference between Strategy and Tactics as the difference between drafting a grand plan, and actually executing it. The plan is a strategy, the execution is tactical. he gave an example, as Follows:

When you take a girl to a dinner, you Dress up nice, take her to a fine restauarant, buy her flowers, compare her smile to the shining sun, etc,. That is strategy, it was planned in advance for a purpose.

When, later that evening, you have parked by the lake, and the strategy having been successful, its time to execute from then on the plan. from there on its "tactical." <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Unfortunately, everything that is parkerized or has a rail on it is "tactical." I *think* they mean, law enforcement related.

I also think "kills all out of proportion" is overused.

Just my 2 cents,

BMT

My teeth grind at these (among others):

� rifles that "sport" or "wear" scopes or whatever
� "tube" for barrel, especially in reference to rifle barrels
� "harvested" for killed
� "projectile" or "slug" for bullet
� "handle" for stock
� "glass" or "optics" for scope or binoculars

Fowler said it well � 'The obvious is preferable to the obvious avoidance of it."

Tactical has to be the most overused of 'em all. I've seen tactical shooting glasses,tactical shirts/shorts, tactical hats.

Hell, I've even heard of a fellow using a "Tactical Bucket"... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

It's none of my business, other than David Fortier is a friend of mine and one of the hardest working and competent writers around, but on what do you base your character assasination? As a reader, you are certainly free not to like David's writing but why throw in ludicrous inaccurate assaults against his character? FWIW, I note you have only made three posts on this forum and two of them were blatant SPAM for some outfitter. So just who is the ad man here?

... and FWIW, clich�, by definition, means overused. There's no other kind of clich�, no such thing as an underused clich�, certainly no such thing as a novel clich�. Their problem is that they're no longer (if they ever were) crisply creative or expressive. Excessive use has even made 'em intrusive or even offensive. I hate 'em. Every careful writer does. Every writer should.

Main Entry: cli�ch�
Variant(s): also cli�che /klE-'shA, 'klE-", kli-'/
Function: noun
Etymology: French, literally, printer's stereotype, from past participle of clicher to stereotype, of imitative origin
1 : a trite phrase or expression; also : the idea expressed by it
2 : a hackneyed theme, characterization, or situation
3 : something (as a menu item) that has become overly familiar or commonplace
(Merriam-Webster dictionary)

cli�ch� (kl�-sh��) n. A trite or overused expression or idea: �Even while the phrase was degenerating to clich� in ordinary public use . . . scholars were giving it increasing attention� (Anthony Brandt). [French, past participle of clicher, to stereotype (imitative of the sound made when the matrix is dropped into molten metal to make a stereotype plate).]
(American Heritage dictionary)

I'll third 'all out of proportion' and 'bang flop', capt david <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

"...if I do my part," as in "This thing will shoot 3/128-ths of an inch, ..."

Jaywalker

I could think of hundreds, but here are just a few that set me off:

This rifle "prints" "sub-MOA groups" "all day long" "as long as I do my part." (This is usually found after the writer has described only one or two three-shot groups!)

Also, I hate it when writers describe gun tests as "I went to the range and put it through its paces," or mention caliber by saying "reamed" rather than "chambered" for a certain cartridge.

Plus, it drives me nuts when Rick Jamison constantly says "propellant" rather than "powder," and "projectile" rather than "bullet."

The terms "tactical" and "benchrest accuracy" make me feel ill.......

ADay

How about; "The 250 Savage was the BRAINCHILD of..."

Seriously, has anyone ever penned a paragraph about the 250-3000 without plagerizing this phrase????

I love this thread! It confirms what I try to tell my writers and writing students � that readers notice careless, shallow, and lazy writing and don't like it or respect it.

For me it's "Tack Driver". Where did this one originate? Just about every article I've read about accurate rifles states this. Can't we just say that it's very accurate?

I've actually driven tacks with a High Standard Field King .22.

I too am tired of "tack-driver" and have used two replacements for it that anyone here who likes 'em is free and welcome to adopt �

� candle-snuffer � tighter-shooting than "tack-driver"

� match-lighter � tighter-shooting than "candle-snuffer"

I got your front AND rear shoulder right here!


Don't have a clue which is which though.

Hi, My name's John Kerry and can I use that truck for a few months?

How about "Accurate enough for it's intended purposes" usually when talking about a crappy handgun, but I'm sure it applies to rifles as well.

Well, that's so we can call it "projectile dysfunction" if we don't do our part <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

All time worst.....

"I never miss when aiming at hair"


yea right...........DJ

When referencing a rifle, calling it a "gun" gets to me. Just call it a rifle.



Roads

I get tired of the East coast rifles don't have to be long range. Guess there is nothing but 3 acre fields out here.